A 7-inch tall, red-white-and-blue-starred Beanie Baby may not seem precious, but for a little girl whose father is off fighting in Iraq, it was one of the few comforts available. She slept with the teddy bear, which her dad had given her, every night until he returned home.

Have you ever stood at attention when a teacher entered the room or had an upperclassman order you to do sit-ups? And aside from the occasional drug sweep, you've probably never had anyone inspect your personal belongings. These actions are common at Howe (Ind.) Military School, a co-ed boarding school for Grades 5 through 12, where regular civilian clothing is not worn and the band members aren't

Students in the Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps look like most Army cadets: strict, disciplined and highly trained. Their uniforms are wrinkle-free, and they stand up straight. Y-Press recently interviewed four cadets in the Army JROTC program at Tech High School. They turned out to be normal teens, very nice and funny. Seniors Stephanie McDowell and Ian Gore and Juniors Kelly Morgan and Dav

With all that's going on in the world these days, patriotism means different things to different people. The word might conjure up images of the U.S. flag or the young people and adults who make up the armed forces fighting in Afghanistan. That's where 17-year-olds Carrie Copeland and Ben Gaydos might be heading after they graduate next spring, as enlistees in the U.S. Navy. Y-Press recently spoke

In the United States, the war in Iraq has generally increased patriotism and support for troops. For one Indiana youth, the patriotism has a more personal tone. Keith Fromme, 14, Ferdinand, last saw his father, Patrick, in February, when he left for Iraq to serve as a command sergeant major in the National Guard. "I'm proud that he is serving our country," Keith said in a recent video-conference c

Many youths in America take for granted the options they have after completing high school. College, vocational schools and jobs are a few of the choices students may select. In Israel, though, high school graduates don't have such choices. Israeli 18-year-olds must enter a mandatory draft for the Israeli Defense Force. Y-Press recently interviewed four Israeli soldiers who have been through the p

In December, the Army National Guard reported it had fallen short of its recruiting goals by 30 percent since Oct. 1. With 40 percent of the troops in Iraq being from the National Guard or Army Reserve, this decline has sparked talk of reinstating the draft. President Bush has said he opposes a draft, and reinstatement would require action by him and Congress. Nonetheless, almost every U.S. male m